If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Re: Joe Nuxhall Passes Away

God speed Joe. Thanks for all the memories. I will never forget all those fishing trips with my Father. It as me, my Dad, the lake, Marty and Joe. Some of my fondest memories. I was reeling in a trout as Pete hit 4192.

Re: Joe Nuxhall Passes Away

There were times all eight phone lines glowed during his three-hour, 15-minute Saturday sports talk show on WLW-AM (700). Everyone wanted to talk about one person: Joe Nuxhall.

"What blew me away was that I'd prepared all normal stuff for UC-West Virginia and was going to do some Ohio State stuff, a little Kentucky stuff, and I wasn't sure how much of that would be versus Joe," Cutler said. "About 20 minutes into the show, I told my producer, 'Just forget about it.' It's all going to be about Joe."

The Ol' Left-hander, who passed away late Thursday after a bout with cancer, continues to leave an indelible mark on the region. The beloved Fairfield resident has been saluted through hundreds of radio call-ins, e-mails and other weekend events.

Nuxhall was honored at several major weekend football games. The 79-year-old icon was remembered in moments of silence at the St. Xavier-Colerain game Friday, the prime-time Cincinnati-West Virginia game Saturday, and the Bengals-Cardinals game Sunday.

Kinder described Nuxhall as "a friend to everyone he knew." He said Nuxhall was a major contributor "not only to the Cincinnati Reds, but to the overall sports landscape in the Tristate area."

"Though we know millions of fans will miss him dearly, his spirit will live on for many years. The Bengals would like to offer a heartfelt salute to one of the true sports icons in our region - the Ol' Left-hander," Kinder said. "Thank you, Joe Nuxhall. Thank you."

During the tribute, pictures of Nuxhall in the Reds broadcast booth and as a player were posted on the Bengals video board. Some fans stood. Many applauded.

WLW director of sports operations Dave Armbruster, who worked with Nuxhall for 21 years, said the Reds legend has been the talk of the station since Friday. He thinks the talk will continue through mid-week.

Nuxhall's public visitation is 4-8 p.m. Tuesday at Fairfield High School Arena. A private funeral is Wednesday.

Armbruster said no other local sports figure's death has drawn such attention.

"Not even close," Armbruster said. "I don't know that there's another person in this town, ever, that will have that kind of response."

Cutler wasn't surprised Friday when callers wanted to talk about Nuxhall on his WCKY-AM (1530) show. But he was Saturday, when the Nuxhall conversation continued on WLW.

Four or five people were nearly in tears, Cutler said. Their stories, and their devotion to Nuxhall, moved him too.

"People had vivid recollections of exactly what happened in 1950, whether he gave an autograph or they met at Bob Evans for food or at a golf tournament," Cutler said. "Or Joe helping some kid out, or Joe getting an autographed baseball for a kid that didn't have one. ... It was amazing."

Cutler said the phone calls represented only "a smidgen of a percentage that he touched."

"Driving up (to the Bengals game) this morning, an old Beatles song hit me in the head - 'All You Need is Love.' That was Joe. For whatever reason, he was able to give that to people," Cutler said.

Re: Joe Nuxhall Passes Away

FAIRFIELD – Much of Cincinnati Reds legend Joe Nuxhall’s life was about always showing up to help.

Whether it was a charity event, a fund-raiser, or a sports banquet helping his beloved Fairfield schools, Nuxhall's steadfast loyalty added to his mystique.

On Tuesday more than 10,000 fans of all ages – including many former and current Reds – are expected return the favor by attending the memorial at Fairfield Senior High School for the former Reds pitcher and broadcaster.

The memorial is expected to be one of largest public visitation services in Butler County’s history.

Officials from Fairfield schools met Monday with local police and fire officials – as well as those from the Cincinnati Reds – to plan Nuxhall’s memorial. The visitation is expected to include dozens of former and current Reds among the crowd that will file past the Ol' Left-hander's open casket center court in the school’s gym.

Nuxhall’s son Kim said he was stunned by the outpouring of affection for his father, who died Thursday night at Mercy Hospital Fairfield after a battle with non-Hodgkin's lymphona. He was 79.

“Wow! It’s totally overwhelming what’s going on out there. I knew it was going to be a story, but I didn’t think it would be like this. It’s been unbelievable,” said Kim Nuxhall.

"Dad would be embarrassed by all of this attention,’’ Nuxhall said of the publicity surrounding his father’s death. "He never thought of himself as a celebrity."

"(It’s) sad, of course, at times. But also inspiring, to know what the impact was (of his life), and how far-reaching.''

Thousands are expected to line up early Tuesday outside the high school gym before the 4 p.m. start of the visitation.

Preparations will begin shortly after dawn in what funeral officials are calling Butler County’s largest public memorial in decades.

“This is a historic, one-time event for people,” said Tom Zettler, managing director of Zettler Funeral Home in Nuxhall’s hometown of Hamilton.

For those who can’t attend the visitation, Nuxhall’s funeral motorcade – after a private family ceremony – will pass through both Fairfield and Hamilton Wednesday morning enroute to Rose Hill Cemetery on the eastern edge of Hamilton.

Cincinnati Reds officials will provide banners, photos and memorabilia at the visitation but declined to comment about further details surrounding their participation in the memorial or who among current or former Reds players may attend.

Fairfield Senior High School's 3,500-seat arena is the largest prep sports venue in Greater Cincinnati.

Those attending will have guest books to sign before lining up to walk past displays of Nuxhall photos before arriving at his casket. More than 10,000 copies of a commemorative memorial program will be handed out.

There will be no eulogies or speeches, only the singing of the national anthem at 4 p.m. by Kyle Conley, a blind Fairfield senior who has sung the anthem at Cincinnati Reds games. Visitation will end at 8 p.m.

Fairfield Senior High Principal Paul Waller said no cameras, video recorders or camera phones will be allowed in the gym in deference to the open casket being allowed by Nuxhall’s family.

Helping to maintain order at the memorial will be 15 police officers from Fairfield, Hamilton and the Butler County Sheriff’s department. Another 15 firefighters from Fairfield will also help with crowd control.

As visitors pull into the school’s 2,000-space parking lot they will see a tribute message on the school’s entrance sign.

“Mr. Nuxhall. You will be missed. Thanks for your support.”

Although school is out this week for Thanksgiving, Fairfield junior William Kameron plans to be among the thousands paying respects.

“I remember listening to him on the radio. He was a pretty cool guy,” said the 16-year-old.

Re: Joe Nuxhall Passes Away

Everyone should listen to Joe's sign off broadcast with Marty after the 2004 season's last game. The script was already posted here but hearing Joe start crying as he said "For the last time, this is the old left-hander, rounding third and heading for home".. it's just something you have to hear. If you can resist tears you're a stronger man than me.

Re: Joe Nuxhall Passes Away

Be sure to return to Cincinnati.com this afternoon for live coverage of Joe Nuxhall’s visitation. We’ll have frequent updates, video and photos.

Much of Cincinnati Reds legend Joe Nuxhall's life was about always showing up to help.

Whether it was a charity event, a fund raiser, a sports banquet helping his beloved Fairfield schools, the baseball and broadcasting icon's steadfast loyalty added to his mystique.

Today more than 10,000 fans of all ages - including many former and current Reds - are expected to return the favor by attending his memorial at Fairfield Senior High School.

The memorial is expected to be one of largest public visitation services in Butler County's history.

Monday, officials from Fairfield schools met with local police and fire officials - as well as those from the Reds - to plan Nuxhall's memorial, which is expected to include dozens of former and current Reds among the crowd that will file past the Ol' Left-hander's open casket sitting center court at the school's gym.

The national media attention in the wake of his passing last week and the local gestures of affection for one of Greater Cincinnati's most admired sports heroes left Nuxhall's son Kim stunned and Monday prompted the first public comments from his family since his passing last week.

"Wow. It's totally overwhelming what's going on out there. I knew it was going to be a story, but I didn't think it would be like this. It's been unbelievable," said Kim Nuxhall of the outpouring of well-wishers.

"Dad would be embarrassed by all of this attention," he said of the publicity surrounding his father's death. "He never thought of himself as a celebrity.

"(It's) sad, of course, at times. But also inspiring, to know what the impact was (of his life), and how far-reaching."

"Thanks for all you've done," Kim said to fans of his father.

Thousands are expected to line up early today outside the high school gym prior to the 4 p.m. start of the visitation. Preparations, however, for the historic memorial will begin shortly after dawn in what funeral officials are calling Butler County's largest public memorial in decades.

"This is a historic, one-time event for people," said Tom Zettler, managing director of Zettler Funeral Home in Nuxhall's nearby hometown of Hamilton.

For those who can't attend the visitation, Nuxhall's funeral motorcade - after a private family ceremony - will pass through both Fairfield and Hamilton Wednesday morning en route to Rose Hill Burial Park in Fairfield Township.

Reds officials will provide banners, photos and memorabilia at the visitation but declined to comment about further details surrounding their participation in the memorial or who among current or former Reds players might attend.

Fairfield Senior High School often is the site where local fallen heroes are honored.

The school's 3,500-seat arena is the largest prep sports arena in Greater Cincinnati. The gym has been the site of other emotional memorials that attracted smaller crowds, including most recently services for Fairfield graduates who enlisted as soldiers and Marines and were killed in Iraq.

Those attending will have guest books to sign before lining up to walk past displays of Nuxhall photos before arriving at his casket. More than 10,000 copies of a commemorative memorial program will be handed out.

There will be no eulogies or speeches, only the singing of the national anthem at 4 p.m. by Kyle Conley, a blind Fairfield senior who has sung the anthem at Reds games. Visitation will end at 8 p.m.

Board Moderators may, at their discretion and judgment, delete and/or edit any messages that violate any of the following guidelines: 1. Explicit references to alleged illegal or unlawful acts. 2. Graphic sexual descriptions. 3. Racial or ethnic slurs. 4. Use of edgy language (including masked profanity). 5. Direct personal attacks, flames, fights, trolling, baiting, name-calling, general nuisance, excessive player criticism or anything along those lines. 6. Posting spam. 7. Each person may have only one user account. It is fine to be critical here - that's what this board is for. But let's not beat a subject or a player to death, please.

Thank you, and most
importantly, enjoy yourselves!

RedsZone.com is a privately owned website and is not affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds or Major League Baseball